AMC Theaters Officially Begins Banning MoviePass Customers

The MoviePass app is changing the way people pay for movie tickets, but it’s not well liked by AMC theaters who have begun taking action against the service at their Denver and Boston locations. The theater chain has made its dislike for the app evident, and when MoviePass dropped its prices down to $9.95 per month it was rumored they would try to get out of participating in the service. Other theaters have seemingly accepted the app despite reservations, but AMC theaters have taken a firm stance against this new way of going to the movies.

AMC theaters discovered that the only way to block MoviePass was to stop accepting Mastercard. The theater chain may be unable to directly ban MoviePass users but they’ve begun taking other steps. The theater chain has blocked E-tickets from being purchased at their Denver and Boston locations. That means MoviePass users in Denver and Boston will have to purchase tickets at the theater in advance of large crowds.

/Filmreported the news about Denver and Boston AMC locations, but according to Deadline, E-ticketing is available at only six percent of the locations where MoviePass can be used. MoviePass users in Denver and Boston can beat this by heading to the theater earlier and purchasing tickets at the box office. It is an inconvenience, but for subscribers hoping to get the most out of their MoviePass subscription, it’s a small price to pay for cheaper tickets.

The cheap tickets offered by MoviePass could offer a shot in the arm for a beleaguered, film industry, even if theaters don’t want them to succeed. On the other hand, combating the subscription service by removing the opportunity to purchase advance E-tickets seems like a return to the days of long lines outside the theater that people no longer have time for. E-ticketing is an advantage for everyone and an opportunity for fans to be comfortable and safe when purchasing tickets to the movies they want to see.

The lack of E-tickets heading into the holiday season isn’t a smart move for AMC. With fans eager to get tickets to movies like the upcoming Star Wars: The Last Jedi without having to wait in an interminably long line, AMC theaters might have lost itself business in a changing industry trying to bring fans back to movie theaters.